Activision Blizzard’s Q2 financial report released this morning revealed that the Overwatch League’s days might be numbered. The company disclosed it would pay teams a $6 million termination fee after this season if they no longer wish to be a part of the league following a vote on upcoming amended terms.
The announcement doesn’t necessarily mean that the heavily hyped-up league that started operations in 2017 will cease to exist, but it certainly won’t be everything that the league’s high-profile investors initially thought it would be. And professional Overwatch players, both current and former, have already started to share nostalgic sentiments on social media.
Reinforce was a professional player until transitioning to an analyst role for the league’s broadcasts during the OWL’s inaugural season. In a post to social media, he made it clear that no matter what comes of the Overwatch League, he will be around the game’s competitive scene until the bitter end.
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“For seven years I’ve had the pleasure of telling stories in Overwatch,” he said. “I love this scene so passionately and I’ll continue until it’s no longer feasible. I’ll be there no matter what.”
Custa spent time with a couple of different OWL teams before moving to a position as broadcast talent as well. And while he admits that the league’s original plan was flawed, he’s still crediting it for his growth over the past five years.
“Say what you will about OWL, it gave me everything I have today and it’s created incredible moments for many,” he said. “The league model was broken from the beginning. Here’s to hoping the pieces can be picked up into something that makes sense and is more true to Overwatch esports.”
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Another broadcaster, Nekkra, reiterated much of what Reinforce and Custa had to say, adding that she also hopes to be a part of whatever version of professional Overwatch exists in the coming years.
“This is incredibly sad news,” she said. “Making OWL was always a huge dream for me, my first goal when I entered esports. Hopeful that Overwatch esports will still exist in some capacity even if the current ‘League’ format changes, and I hope to be able to be there.”
Teams can remain a part of the OWL after this season by voting on an “updated operating agreement.” So it’s not a guarantee that the league will fold, but the league almost assuredly won’t look the same.
Published: Jul 19, 2023 03:45 pm